The present invention relates to the removal of parts and portions of meat from poultry, beef, pork, fish, and other various food products by manually cutting and carving the parts and portions from the carcass. Particularly, the present invention relates to the apparatus for presenting food products to a food processing person to remove whole parts, segmenting whole parts, and portions of meat from carcasses of food products and transferring these parts on a take-away conveyance. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus, which supports both whole and portioned food products in a rigid carving position with unique food product process carriers and which further allows configuration of the processing line with multiple specified radius curves and multiple elevation changes.
Prior food conveyance apparatuses are known to the art. One such conveyor is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,385,419, issued to Cantrell. The conveyor is formed of rigid segments, which interlock to form a continuous conveyor platform, which extend laterally into guide rails to stabilize the platform upon which the poultry carcasses are supported. The conveyor segments are configured and connected so that the conveyor may only travel along a straight processing line. The conveyor is only flexible in a single direction, so that it may invert when it reaches the end of the processing line to travel back to the beginning of the line. The chicken carcasses are supported on deboning xe2x80x9chorns,xe2x80x9d which are rigidly mounted on the conveyor platform. The conveyor disclosed in Cantrell presents a number of problems. First, a processing line using the disclosed apparatus may only be positioned along a straight line. It cannot be positioned around a curve to optimize the use of available floor space. Additionally, the platform disclosed is incapable of ascending along an incline or decline. This presents problems in terms of overall design of the integrated processing plant, in that it limits the capability to raise and lower a conveyor to accommodate a second conveyor crossing beneath it.
A further problem with a conveyor of the type disclosed is the inability to thoroughly clean the conveyor. Debris that collects along the edges of the conveyor may not be easily dislodged. The area between the adjacent segments of the conveyor platform is inaccessible for cleaning, except at the ends of the processing line, where the conveyor inverts to change its direction of travel.
Another such conveyor system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,535,876, issued to Larry Fortenberry, et al. The conveyor is formed by connecting a plurality of poultry mounts to each other using a chain of cooperative links to form a continuous conveyor. The pivotal junctures between each of the cooperative links are configured so as to provide both lateral and vertical flexibility, allowing the conveyor to be positioned along curves and inclines. Each of the links has a linking post extending from one side and a pair of linking arms extending from the opposite side. The linking arms are spaced apart to receive the linking post of an adjacent link. The links are connected by pins, which extend through apertures in the linking arms and through a bore in the linking post of the adjacent link. The diameter of the bore in the linking post is larger than that of the pin, so that the connection is flexible laterally. Each of the poultry mounts includes a base block, which is stabilized by laterally extending rectangular flanges positioned to slide along guide channels in guide members extending along the conveyor frame. Additionally, each mount includes freely rotatable member for holding the poultry carcasses on the mount. The conveyor disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,535,876 presents a number of problems. First, the support structures for the conveyor frame is so designed as to only consider support needs for said conveyor. Therefore, when adjacent take-away conveyors are mounted relatively close for proper workstations, an unsanitary condition occurs, as the metal surfaces of both frameworks are typically too close for proper cleaning methods.
A further problem with a conveyor of the type disclosed is the ability of the carcass mount to rotate freely. Because the mount can rotate freely, the proper resistance necessary to make a cut on a poultry part or meat portion is not possible. As a cut is being made, the carcass tends to move away from the cutting edge. In addition, the carcass mount design only supports a small amount of the available inside surface area of a carcass leaving the ability of the carcass to move on the support mount. Furthermore, the support mount is not easily and readily adaptable for conversion to other types of processing other than deboning.
Additionally, the mount is an integral part of the chain, which is manufactured by others. Removing a pre-manufactured link and replacing with a customized module jeopardizes the integrity of the entire continuous chain.
Furthermore, the groove in the guide rail in which the base module flanges are supported is small in size creating difficult sanitary conditions. In addition, because the flange extends in a rectangular shape away from the rectangular base module, the physical area of support for the poultry mount is very small in relation to the overall size of the poultry mount and, therefore, supplies only miniscule support for the poultry mount. Such structure enhances the likelihood that breakage of the support flange occurs.
The principal object of the present invention is to provide a versatile food processing line. The versatility is gained by various and unique food product carriers with each product carrier being designed in particular for a specific process. Each food product carrier provides rigid stability for proper cutting and carving of meat portions. Additionally, each food product carrier allows the highest yields of cuts and carves to be obtained by providing a food carrier, which compliments the shape and/or contour of the food part or carcass.
Another object of the invention is to provide a versatile food processing line, which can be designed to accommodate plant layout configuration needs involving flexibility to travel along radius turns and elevation changes.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a food processing line, which may be easily and thoroughly cleansed.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a food processing line, which may be integrated into expanded or reduced processing capacity by means of adding or removing generic sections of conveyance.
A feature of the invention is the design of the common frame support system. By combining the carrier conveyance system with the take-away conveyance system, a tremendous amount of redundancy in leg frame support is eliminated thus reducing the amount of sanitizing required. Additionally, the proximity of the take-away conveyance is positioned in an optimum position in regards to the worker process station.
These and other objects of the present invention are accomplished by providing a continuous traveling chain, which consists of cooperative links. The pivotal junctures between each of the cooperative links are configured so as to provide both lateral and vertical flexibility. The cooperative links consists of a linking post on one end and two linking arms on the opposite end spaced apart so that the linking post of an adjacent link will fit between the two arms and the linking post of the adjacent link. The linking post is bored slightly larger than the diameter of the pin, therefore creating the ability of lateral and vertical movement. Each food product carrier is supported by a mounting block, which is designed with flanges facing in a downward direction and whose inside dimension matches the outside dimension of the associated chain link. The mounting block is secured to the chain link by means of extending the stainless steel pins to the length equal to the outside dimension of the mounting block""s downward flanges. Each mounting block is designed with hold-down tabs extending laterally from the mounting block. The mounting block hold-down tabs extend into guide channels of a pair of guide rails which are mounted on opposite sides of each chain. The hold-down tabs are configured in a wedge shape configuration and extend into similarly but inversely configured wedge shaped grooves forming the guide channels. This wedge shape offers the proper amount of necessary support surface area, while not having a detrimental effect of increased friction.
A threaded mounting shaft is screwed into the mounting block and secured with a lock nut. The shaft then extends to a specified length needed for supporting the food product carrier. The product carrier is then secured to the mounting shaft by means of a threaded fitting and stainless steel lock nut. The food product carrier is so designed as to allow the food product to be presented in front of the worker position in a fixed and rigid manner. The support structure frame is located directly below the take-away conveyor. Small tube-like supports cantilever from the main support structure to allow reinforced support to the food product carrier conveyance system. The side frame member of the carrier conveyance system is common and is shared with the side frame member of the take-away conveyor.